She had it coming
by BlissAndHurricanes
Summary: Missing scene from 16x05, Lorelei pays a little visit to Lisbon ... Paint it Red September 2013 challenge WINNER !


**Hi :)  
I am back with another Mentalist story for the Paint it red monthly challenge.  
September prompt : Fire and Ice.  
I hope you'll like it, even though I know some will want to kill me ^^"**

* * *

She had it coming

Lisbon lazily dropped her keys on the little table by the door when she entered her apartment. It had been a long day of paperwork alternating with boring meetings, and she was pleased to finally be home.

Sighing in contentment, she removed her jacket and mechanically reached for her handcuffs and her service weapon to place them in the drawer of the table.

It was already dark outside and she knew she should try to eat at regular hours, but she didn't feel hungry yet. Instead, she headed towards the kitchen and put the kettle on. She needed to relax, and a nice cup of Japanese green tea would be perfect.

She waited patiently a couple of minutes for the water to boil, and then poured some in her mug.

Closing her eyes, she inhaled the steam of the soothing beverage. She could already feel her muscles loosening up and her face relaxing.

Jane was right, she should drink tea more often.

Raising the cup to her lips, she was about to take a sip when she heard _that_ noise.

The too characteristic clicking sound reverberated in the room and she dropped her cup on the counter as she jumped and instantly whirled around.

It took her half a second to spot the barrel of the gun pointed at her.

"Hello agent Lisbon", she managed to hear despite the sudden deafening rush of blood in her ears.

* * *

Her heart beat frantically in her chest, and she needed a couple of seconds to slow it down. Deeply and slowly, she breathed in and out.

Having been caught off guard had startled her, but she quickly regained her cop reflexes and straightened fiercely to face the intruder.

"Lorelei…"

Anger flared in Lisbon's eyes as she stared at woman in front of her. She would recognise her frame dressed in black leather jacket and trousers anywhere.

"What are you doing here? What do you want?" She snapped at the woman.

Gun pointed at Lisbon's head, Lorelei sent her handcuffs.

"Take them and cuff one of your wrists to your fridge." She only said without preamble.

Breathing heavily in anger, her eyes fixed on the Smith & Wesson in front of her, Lisbon slowly nodded and reluctantly bent to the metallic chain.

The slight clinking sound disturbed the silence of the house as she grabbed the handcuffs, and she didn't bother hiding her disgust when she straightened and locked herself to the handle of her own fridge.

"And now what ?" she spat, "What are you going to do, kill me ? I don't think Red John would appreciate you damaged one of his precious toys." She said with a fake smile.

Unless, Lisbon thought, she was here to neutralize her before Red John came in. She felt a hint of panic growing inside her.

Without saying a word, Lorelei came closer to her prisoner and quickly checked her body.

Only after having made sure Lisbon didn't have any hidden weapon did she lower her own gun and put it on the nearby kitchen counter.

"I only came here to talk to you". Lorelei finally said, with a low and soft voice.

That wasn't the answer Lisbon expected at all, and scepticism could be read all over her face. Eyebrows raised, she lowered her chin and stared at Lorelei in disbelief.

"And what, in the world, could you possibly want to talk about with me ?" Lisbon started to say with a touch of irony and laziness in her voice.

God, she hated the woman she thought.

"Or, even better, what makes you think I am inclined to talk with the bitch of the most notorious serial killer of the state ? You are a murderess, expert at the art of lying and cheating." Lisbon lifted her chin and locked her eyes full of disdain with Lorelei's.

"You don't deserve anything from me, not even a little … chit-chat." She ended with a fake smile.

A flicker of pain crossed Lorelei's eyes, so briefly that Lisbon wasn't even sure she saw it, but the woman quickly regained her composure.

"I didn't come as an enemy", she said calmly.

Lisbon smirked.

"Oh, yes of course, and I suppose that's why I am stuck to my own fridge against my will. It's such a way to say hello to a friend." She emphasised ironically.

She was getting pretty good at pretending being detached from the situation when threatened with a gun, she thought. Jane's influence with no doubt.

Lorelei frowned and bit her lower lip.

"It was the only way to talk to you. Please, this is important."

She stopped and smirked sadly.

"I probably won't survive this week…"

Uh oh, _that_ was unusual Lisbon thought.

Lorelei's voice was calm and deep, and only then did Lisbon really take the time to analyse her. The woman seemed anxious but … sincere?

This word referring to Lorelei sounded quite strange in Lisbon's mind, as was this situation she thought bitterly.

However, Lisbon scrutinized further her face and body language.  
Something with the woman was bothering her.

Despite her clothing, she didn't look like the cold murderess she was. There was an odd tension in her body and an unusual distress in her eyes.

Lisbon cast a quick glance at her hands and saw them slightly shaking.

Indeed, something was definitely wrong with Lorelei and despite all the anger Lisbon felt against the woman, she had to admit she was curious to know the reasons of her presence.

Exhaling deeply, Lisbon finally asked her with an annoyed voice.

"Okay, what do you want to know Lorelei ?"

Lorelei quickly sized Lisbon up.

"I…"

Frowning, the woman seemed searching for words.

Her usual air of superiority was nowhere to be seen and she seemed slightly agitated and stressed.

Hadn't she known her family history, Lisbon would have sworn the woman in front of her was Lorelei's good twin sister.

Casting a quick glance at Lisbon, Lorelei breathed heavily and finally came closer to lean against the cupboard in front of the fridge.

A few seconds passed by before Lorelei decided to break the silence.

"I need to know how it feels", she finally managed to say with a hoarse voice, looking straight in Lisbon's eyes.

Lisbon frowned, she didn't understand.

"How _what_ feels ?"

The strange distressed attitude of Lorelei had softened her mood a little, but she wasn't planning to play riddles all night long. She was tired, her right arm was sore now and she didn't even have the time to have the bubble bath she had been waiting for so much.

"How does it feel to be loved?" Lorelei managed to say with a hesitant voice

Shock painted Lisbon's face.

"What ?!" she snapped in total incomprehension

_What the hell is going on ?!_ she thought. _This must be a joke, another Red John mind game._

But her thoughts were interrupted by Lorelei's voice.

"I have never ever been loved…"

Allright, talking about heartaches with Lorelei was definitely not the evening Lisbon had planned. But wait … _that_ was her chance, she thought.  
Lorelei seemed lost and helpless, maybe a little bit drunk or under illicit substances. There had never been a better time to extract information about Red John from her.

Overcoming her initial surprise, Lisbon decided to talk.

"Listen Lorelei, I know you are a little … perturbed"

_Rather totally screwed up, _she thought.

"Red John killed your sister, you trusted him and you feel betrayed, I understand that."

Oh God was she really trying to comfort Lorelei ?

"But I am not sure I can help you or give you any advice, since I don't know him. Why don't you tell me more about what brought you here ?" Lisbon managed to say with a soothing voice.

"Red John is just a living thing made of flesh with nothing inside. His heart is just … a black rotten piece of meat." The woman spat bitterly.

Well, that wasn't surprising, Lisbon thought.

"I had never tried to think about my life, I was just living to serve Red John. I was a machine, a device made to obey him, with not a shred of feelings or dreams. And it wasn't any different when I slept with Patrick."

Lisbon briefly closed her eyes and swallowed hardly. She really didn't want to know the details of what happened between Jane and her in Vegas. But she had to make the woman share her feelings with her to collect information about Red John.

"It was my mission, and I fulfilled it with success. Just another night devoid of feelings. I didn't mind … until this reality slowly crumbled and eventually fell to pieces."

Lorelei's voice lowered.

"And the truth came like a slap in my face." She said bitterly, then coldly looked strait into Lisbon's eyes.

"No one has ever looked at me the way he looks at you."

Lisbon hid her surprise the best she could, but said nothing.

"I tried to forget what I saw, but it couldn't leave me!" Lorelei cried out painfully.

"Those … feelings crept on me like worms and it's driving me crazy now ! Because I never noticed before, and now I feel it…"

She stopped and closed her eyes.

"The ice…" she struggled to say with a hoarse voice.

"I am frozen. It's like I just had woken up from a fake reality that last my entire life. I was an object, I wasn't _alive_ until… until his burning gaze upon you made me realise how cold I felt inside !" Her eyes moistened and she snorted with rage.

"I am the first woman he slept with since his dead wife, and not once did he look at me the way he looks at you ! Not once _anyone_ looked at me this way." She ended with a husky voice.

Lisbon was shocked by the strength of the emotions Lorelei conveyed. This definitely didn't sound nor looked like a con. She knew she hated her, but the woman in front of her was not the one she used to know anymore. Her confession was heartbreaking and … wait … did she really say that Jane looked at her with a _burning_ gaze ?

Lisbon felt her head spin a little. No, she couldn't think about that. She had to focus on her plan to get information about Red John…

But, did Jane _really_ look at her in a special way ? A way that laid a cold murderess to rethink her whole life ? Was it possible that Jane could feel-

Lost in her thoughts, Lisbon gasped when she felt Lorelei grasp her arm and heard her voice so close to her ear.

"I _need_ to feel this fire. Just once, I wish I could feel this fire warming my icy body. I can't bear the sharp cold void inside me", she said between her teeth in a mix of pain and despair.

Lisbon froze and tried to think, but her mind was clouded by her feelings about Jane Lorelei had brought to the surface, and by the woman herself who seemed getting more violent.

Lorelei face softened though, and she gently put a hand on Lisbon's shoulder.

"Please, you are the only one who can help me." She said with pleading eyes.

Lisbon shook her head and frowned in incomprehension.

"I… I can try, but I really don't understand what you need from me Lorelei"

Lisbon was sincere. At some point this evening, she didn't know _how,_ the pain and loneliness of the woman got under her skin.

Lorelei sadly smiled at her.

"I devoted my life to a real evil man, but you … you are such a selfless, unconditional loving person, such a _pure_ soul Teresa, evilness can't reach you. You are Red John exact opposite. You're light when he is darkness, you're love when he is hatred, you're fire when he is ice."

Her voice was slightly shaking as emotions overwhelmed her.

"You're the closest person to an angel I have ever met and … I know I can't change my past. I know I deserve punishment for the sins I've made but I believe in heaven and hell and I know only the latter is waiting for me and… I don't want to die without knowing how it feels to be loved by someone so pure." She paused and then whispered, "Please, let me feel something."

Wide-eyed and awestruck, Lisbon froze as she understood what Lorelei meant.

"I… I-"

She tried to find something to say but Lorelei cut her off.

"I know you're burning to know how it would feel to be kissed by him, to know his feelings for you through his kiss."

Lorelei read the confusion on Lisbon's face.

"I know you can't love me, but I know exactly how Patrick feels for you. Please, let's pretend, just a moment, that I am him."

_What? No way!_ Lisbon thought vehemently.

Somewhere deep inside, she desperately needed to know how Jane felt for her. God, she despaired to know how it felt to lose herself in his embrace. But this woman certainly was not Jane.

No sound came from her though. And hesitantly, looking deep inside her eyes, Lorelei slowly came closer to Lisbon.

"I know exactly how he would kiss you." She whispered in her ear

Deafening warning alarms were ringing in Lisbon's mind. The woman seemed sincere but she was also a dangerous criminal, master in the art of manipulating people. She couldn't trust her, she had to push her away !  
But despite her best efforts, she couldn't move.

Something deep inside wanted to believe and _needed _to know.

Seeing no movement of repulsion, Lorelei slowly put her hand on Lisbon's cheek, half cupping her face.

"First, he would lay his eyes upon your face, a little bit scared of what he is about to do."

Lorelei's face softened, a shy smile spreading at the corner of her lips.

"Then, he would catch your eyes, asking you with unspoken words the right to do it."

Her breathing increased as her voice became softer.

"Hoping… to read … you want it too."

Lisbon's eyes grew wider in a mix of disgust, anticipation and fear as Lorelei's face slowly came closer to hers.

"His heart would beat faster as your fragrance would overwhelm his senses, and he would lay his eyes upon you lips…"

Inhaling deeply, Lorelei briefly closed her eyes for one second. Then she reopened them and stared at Lisbon's slightly parted lips.

Lisbon was unable to move away. She knew she had to say something, to stop it, but she just couldn't ! Her mind was foggy and all she could focus on was the desperate need to feel Jane's love and to convey all her love to him.

"He would lay his other hand on your waist, unconsciously drawing small circles with his thumb…"

A deep shiver ran from Lisbon's hip up to her neck.

"Then the tip of his nose would softly caress the bridge of yours…"

Lorelei's voice was barely above a whisper.

"He would close his eyes"

Lisbon inhaled sharply and let her eyes flutter closed, still frowning in an attempt to understand the emotions fighting in her confused mind.

"Then, breaking the wall he thoroughly built during all these years in a vain attempt to protect you and protect himself …"

Lisbon felt a soft tingling sensation at the corner of her lips. Was it really happening ?

"He would kiss you." Lorelei said in a breath.

One single tear ran down Lisbon's cheek as Lorelei layed her lips on hers.

* * *

This wasn't the way she had imagined kissing Jane for the first time.

God, it wasn't even him ! Or … was it ?

Her mind was a mess, screaming and shouting, but the kiss was soft and shy, and all she could imagine was Jane lips.

Deep inside, she knew something was wrong, but she was desperate.

All the unspoken feelings, all the fears, all the frustration and the love, all of them were conveyed in this kiss.

God, she loved him !

And at this very moment she didn't care if this was real or not

This was how it felt to be loved by Jane and it was amazing.

She felt her heart beating frantically and about to burst from her chest, her head was spinning like she was about to die, and the voice claiming all of this wasn't real died in her mind.

Shaking, she burrowed her hand in Lorelei's hair, her mind tricking her into feeling soft blond curls. It felt so real and she loved him so much !

Her fingers digging into her back, she could feel Lorelei tremble.

And then suddenly, a wave of heat burst into her chest and spread in her whole body, wrapping them both in a burning embrace.

A few seconds passed by during which their bodies combusted.

Then, slowly, the burning wave faded away leaving them to their fate.

Her heart pounding in her chest, Lorelei ended the kiss and took a deep calming breath, laying her forehead against Lisbon's.

"Thank you", she whispered her eyes still closed, "Now I can die in peace."

Dazed and confused, Lisbon tried to come back to reality.

"What do you mean ?", she said, her voice hoarse from her still fresh emotions

Lorelei sighed.

"I will go to Red John to avenge my sister's death, even if I know I won't survive this final encounter." She confessed lowly.

Alarmed, Lisbon straightened abruptly and looked straight into Lorelei's eyes.

"What ?! No, don't do that ! You … you don't have to do that, you can still change your life." She said vehemently.

But Lorelei only shook her head in disbelief.

Recovering her senses, Lisbon remembered her initial plan to get information about Red John. She could not miss this opportunity, she had to convince Lorelei.

"_I _can change your life Lorelei, please" she begged.  
"If you give me Red John I promise to do everything to protect you. Money, a new identity. You can be on the other side of the world tomorrow if you want."  
Her voice had recovered her usual strength, despite its slight pleading tone.

But Lorelei winced and held her gaze.

"You don't understand, I don't want to hide from Red John. I want to go to him and kill him. This is my revenge and mine alone."

Lisbon was about to respond but Lorelei didn't let her.

"No one can help me Teresa, it's my fate." She said as she smiled sadly and extended her hand to her cheek.

She softly looked at her a couple of seconds.

"You lighted my dark last days. For a moment, I could imagine my brokenness mended by your lips. You _are_ an angel and I will die relieved that, for mere seconds, you could love someone like me."

Only then did Lisbon realize that she had been a fool to think Lorelei would ever give her Red John. The woman was a lonely soul, nothing would ever make her give up her selfish revenge.

And as Lorelei turned and started to walk away, Lisbon did the only good thing she could think of.

"He has feelings for you, you know ?"

Lisbon's confession about Jane floated in the thick air of the room and Lorelei stopped for a couple of seconds in silence.

Then, slowly, a slight smile spread at the corner of her lips and she disappeared in the dark.

* * *

Later on the crime scene, Lisbon would think she couldn't rationally have desired what had happened that night, and she would convince herself that Lorelei had used hypnosis to get what she wanted.

But her heart ached at the memory of the despair in the young woman's eyes.

"She had it coming", Jane said coldly.

And all Lisbon could think about was Lorelei's last words.

"_You know, everything we say about heaven and hell is just a lie. Fire is heaven and ice is hell."_

* * *

**Please don't kill me ! I know, nobody likes Lorelei but... well that just popped up in my head ^^"**  
**No need to say I am waiting for your reviews !**


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